A Little Bit About Me Manage UX team for Citrix Online, a division of Citrix Systems UX Designers, Researchers, Tech Writers Built and managed UX teams for about 5 years Started out as a UI designer/usability specialist A short first time manager story…

Manage UX team for Citrix Online, a division of Citrix Systems

UX Designers, Researchers, Tech Writers

Built and managed UX teams for about 5 years

Started out as a UI designer/usability specialist

A short first time manager story…

Six Important Questions Do I know what is expected of me at work? Do I have the materials I need to do my work right? At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day? In the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for doing good work? Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person? Is there someone at work who encourages my development ? Source: First Break All the Rules , Marcus Buckingham & Curt Coffman, 1999

Do I know what is expected of me at work?

Do I have the materials I need to do my work right?

At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?

In the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for doing good work?

Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person?

Is there someone at work who encourages my development ?

Source: First Break All the Rules , Marcus Buckingham & Curt Coffman, 1999

Job Descriptions & Career Ladder Do I know what is expected of me at work? Do I have the materials I need to do my work right? At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day? Source: First Break All the Rules , Marcus Buckingham & Curt Coffman, 1999

Do I know what is expected of me at work?

Do I have the materials I need to do my work right?

At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?

Source: First Break All the Rules , Marcus Buckingham & Curt Coffman, 1999

Goal Setting, Coaching and Feedback In the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for doing good work? Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person? Is there someone at work who encourages my development ? Source: First Break All the Rules , Marcus Buckingham & Curt Coffman, 1999

In the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for doing good work?

Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person?

Is there someone at work who encourages my development ?

Source: First Break All the Rules , Marcus Buckingham & Curt Coffman, 1999

Get The Basics Down Career Ladder & Job Descriptions Goal Setting & Tracking Reviews, Coaching & Feedback

Career Ladder & Job Descriptions

Goal Setting & Tracking

Reviews, Coaching & Feedback

Defining Job Families Who do we have? (Allocation, Skills, Roles, Specialists vs. Generalists) What do we need? (Identifying Gaps) What do they have in common? (Grouping)

Who do we have? (Allocation, Skills, Roles, Specialists vs. Generalists)

What do we need? (Identifying Gaps)

What do they have in common? (Grouping)

Multiple Tracks Differentiate based on main differences/attributes

Differentiate based on main differences/attributes

Define Levels How many do you need? It depends!

How many do you need? It depends!

The Five Parts of a Job Description Title Duties (Responsibilities, Tasks, Deliverables) Requirements (Experience, Knowledge, Skills) Competencies (Behaviors) Scope of Influence (Supervision, Leadership, Interactions, Decision-making)

Title

Duties (Responsibilities, Tasks, Deliverables)

Requirements (Experience, Knowledge, Skills)

Competencies (Behaviors)

Scope of Influence (Supervision, Leadership, Interactions, Decision-making)

Job Description Matrix Less -> More

Scope of Influence Level of supervision/approval needed Supervision/direction of others Interactions with other roles or groups Discretion: Responsibility for decisions (and effect of mistakes!)

Level of supervision/approval needed

Supervision/direction of others

Interactions with other roles or groups

Discretion: Responsibility for decisions (and effect of mistakes!)

Job Titles -> Scope of Influence* Principal, Creative Director, Chief, VP, President, CXO, Managing Partner Manager, Director, Strategist, Architect, Partner Staff, Senior, Lead, Art Director Mid-level, Analyst Associate, Assistant, Junior, Coordinator, Production *Consider the perceived value of the title and role!

Principal, Creative Director, Chief, VP, President, CXO, Managing Partner

Manager, Director, Strategist, Architect, Partner

Staff, Senior, Lead, Art Director

Mid-level, Analyst

Associate, Assistant, Junior, Coordinator, Production

*Consider the perceived value of the title and role!

Duties & Requirements Be as exhaustive as possible! Brainstorm; involve the entire team Crib from job postings (but be realistic!) Look at top performers – what are they doing? Then differentiate requirements for each level and role

Be as exhaustive as possible!

Brainstorm; involve the entire team

Crib from job postings (but be realistic!)

Look at top performers – what are they doing?

Then differentiate requirements for each level and role

Duties & Requirements Duties don’t necessarily change – add scope & complexity Differentiate clearly across levels Participation in requirements gathering and review sessions . How might this change based on level?

Duties don’t necessarily change – add scope & complexity

Differentiate clearly across levels

Participation in requirements gathering and review sessions .

How might this change based on level?

Competencies Translate generalities and traits into specifics and behaviors. For example: “Plays well with others” -> Teamwork Works in concert with others toward shared goals Exhibits cooperativeness Participates in and supports positive conflict resolution Collaborates cross-functionally Puts needs of team over personal needs How might this competency change based on level?

Translate generalities and traits into specifics and behaviors. For example:

“Plays well with others” -> Teamwork

Works in concert with others toward shared goals

Exhibits cooperativeness

Participates in and supports positive conflict resolution

Collaborates cross-functionally

Puts needs of team over personal needs

How might this competency change based on level?

Salary Benchmarking Compensation surveys (Mellon, Radford) Industry salary surveys (IA Institute, UPA)* Public job postings (SimplyHired) Then define low, mid and high range for each level *Take with a massive grain of salt when you can’t compare descriptions!

Compensation surveys (Mellon, Radford)

Industry salary surveys (IA Institute, UPA)*

Public job postings (SimplyHired)

Then define low, mid and high range for each level

*Take with a massive grain of salt when you can’t compare descriptions!

Broadbanding Broad, overlapping pay scales Discourages people taking the wrong path for the money – “rewarding in place” An IA performing excellently is worth more than a manager performing poorly!

Broad, overlapping pay scales

Discourages people taking the wrong path for the money – “rewarding in place”

An IA performing excellently is worth more than a manager performing poorly!

Job Descriptions vs. Job Ads Explaining the job vs. Selling the job Use the exhaustive description to better understand who you’re looking for Then: Edit, edit, edit! Once they start, use the job description, not the ad, to set expectations

Explaining the job vs. Selling the job

Use the exhaustive description to better understand who you’re looking for

Then: Edit, edit, edit!

Once they start, use the job description, not the ad, to set expectations

Exercise: Job Description Matrix Less -> More

Managing Expectations (on both sides) What do you do when expectations for title/salary are out of alignment? Provide a clear path to advancement Be fair, be consistent. Don’t be tempted to inflate titles!

What do you do when expectations for title/salary are out of alignment?

Provide a clear path to advancement

Be fair, be consistent.

Don’t be tempted to inflate titles!

Regular Goal Setting Give them the first shot at it! Use descriptions/career path as a foundation Offer objectives, not goals Define success but let them find their own way Have regular check-ins

Give them the first shot at it!

Use descriptions/career path as a foundation

Offer objectives, not goals

Define success but let them find their own way

Have regular check-ins

Goal Tracking Document Personal Goals Project/Group Goals Performance Rating/Comments Due Date Goal Description Objectives: Q1 Goals (1/1/08-3/31/08)

Coaching & Goals – Moving Up Be open to questions, keep open dialogue Encourage partnerships with senior team members Find special assignments & research projects Offer ways of operating cross-functionally Find opportunities to let them delegate Provide opportunities to mentor others Help them understand and work on strategic issues

Be open to questions, keep open dialogue

Encourage partnerships with senior team members

Find special assignments & research projects

Offer ways of operating cross-functionally

Find opportunities to let them delegate

Provide opportunities to mentor others

Help them understand and work on strategic issues

Coaching & Goals – Barriers Not asking questions, repeated technical mistakes Slow skills development, stuck in old methods Working too much alone Lack of accountability for problems Not prioritizing: scattered or always putting out fires Not delegating enough; overloaded Overly focused on micro area of interest/expertise

Not asking questions, repeated technical mistakes

Slow skills development, stuck in old methods

Working too much alone

Lack of accountability for problems

Not prioritizing: scattered or always putting out fires

Not delegating enough; overloaded

Overly focused on micro area of interest/expertise

Case Study – Moving Over “ Peter” – Usability Intern HF grad student, usability program intern Interested in IxD Used job description to identify experience opportunities Hired F/T as designer after he graduated

“ Peter” – Usability Intern

HF grad student, usability program intern

Interested in IxD

Used job description to identify experience opportunities

Hired F/T as designer after he graduated

Case Study – Moving Up “Rosie” – Mid-Level IA Was in the position when I joined Seemed to be doing a lot more than mid-level work Annotated job description for the next level up – “checking off” met requirements Got her into the right position quickly

“Rosie” – Mid-Level IA

Was in the position when I joined

Seemed to be doing a lot more than mid-level work

Annotated job description for the next level up – “checking off” met requirements

Got her into the right position quickly

Case Study – Moving Out “Nathan” - Junior-level UI designer Missed meetings, follow-through problems Sidetracked on random ideas Set up 30-day Performance Improvement Plan Quickly showed he wasn’t meeting minimum requirements

“Nathan” - Junior-level UI designer

Missed meetings, follow-through problems

Sidetracked on random ideas

Set up 30-day Performance Improvement Plan

Quickly showed he wasn’t meeting minimum requirements

Giving Objective Reviews Use the job description as a benchmark Point to specific behaviors Be a mirror, not a judge Focus on the future Be supportive Do it early and often, and do it in writing!

Use the job description as a benchmark

Point to specific behaviors

Be a mirror, not a judge

Focus on the future

Be supportive

Do it early and often, and do it in writing!

Exercise: Gina Mid-level User Experience Designer Very strong performer when working on her own Has had problems with clients – doesn’t do well negotiating and presenting her ideas Really really really wants more responsibility and interaction with clients, like running requirements workshops

Mid-level User Experience Designer

Very strong performer when working on her own

Has had problems with clients – doesn’t do well negotiating and presenting her ideas

Really really really wants more responsibility and interaction with clients, like running requirements workshops

What’s wrong with this feedback? “ Gina, you’re a very talented designer but you’re just not good with clients. You can be really stubborn and difficult with design decisions and you need to get over that. I just don’t feel like you’re ready to move up to a client-facing position yet.” How can we make this actually helpful for her? Specific examples, mirror behavior, use objective language, focus on the future, be supportive!

“ Gina, you’re a very talented designer but you’re just not good with clients. You can be really stubborn and difficult with design decisions and you need to get over that. I just don’t feel like you’re ready to move up to a client-facing position yet.”

How can we make this actually helpful for her?

Specific examples, mirror behavior, use objective language, focus on the future, be supportive!

Exercise – SMART Goals Gina’s goals: Get better at dealing with clients Learn more about running requirements workshops How would you help Gina to make her goals: S pecific (Do we both clearly understand what it is?) M easurable (How will we know if she was successful?) A ctionable (How will she do it?) R ealistic (Will she realistically be able to do it?) T ime-bound (When will she do it?)

Gina’s goals:

Get better at dealing with clients

Learn more about running requirements workshops

How would you help Gina to make her goals:

S pecific (Do we both clearly understand what it is?)

M easurable (How will we know if she was successful?)

A ctionable (How will she do it?)

R ealistic (Will she realistically be able to do it?)

T ime-bound (When will she do it?)

Try it Out! Use the handouts to get started Use career pathing framework for your own development as well Join the UX-Management list at iainstitute.org! Some good books: First Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently - Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman 12: The Elements of Great Managing – Rodd Wagner and James Harter

Use the handouts to get started

Use career pathing framework for your own development as well

Join the UX-Management list at iainstitute.org!

Some good books:

First Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently - Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman

12: The Elements of Great Managing – Rodd Wagner and James Harter

Kristen Johansen Senior Manager, User Experience [email_address] Yahoo! IM: CitrixKristen

Kristen Johansen

Senior Manager, User Experience

[email_address]

Yahoo! IM: CitrixKristen